Wal-Mart moves greeters from lobby to inside store

A Wal-Mart greeter waits for customers at the front of the company's… (Jay Laprete / Bloomberg…)

Greeters decked out in blue vests are a familiar sight at Wal-Mart store entrances nationwide. Now they are moving inside.

In February, the nation's biggest retailer will pull greeters from the lobby and into the store so they can more actively help with customer service, Wal-Mart spokeswoman Ashley Hardie said.

Greeters have been around at the discount giant since 1980. Hardie said Wal-Mart has expanded the duties of greeters over the years to include tagging return items and wiping down shopping carts.

Now these employees will once again concentrate solely on helping customers. By standing near the checkout lanes inside the stores, greeters will be able to welcome shoppers, give directions and answer questions, Hardie said.

Separately, Wal-Mart began last September to remove greeters from the overnight shift -- which runs from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. -- in a bid to cut costs as sales slow in the U.S. and competitors such as dollar stores snatch shoppers.